SAPE: Société des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Élégantes Avec l’arrivée des Français au Congo au début du XX siècle, naquit le mythe de l’élégance parisienne parmi les jeunes qui travaillaient pour les colons. Ils étaient nombreux à considérer l’homme blanc comme supérieur pour sa sophistication et son élégance. En 1922, G.A. Matsoua fut le premier Congolais à revenir de Paris habillé comme un vrai Monsieur Français, provoquant une grande admiration auprès de ses compatriotes. Il devint ainsi le premier grand sapeur. Respectés et admirés par leur communauté, les sapeurs d’aujourd’hui se considèrent comme des artistes. Avec leurs manières raffinées et leur style vestimentaire impeccable, ils apportent une touche de glamour dans leur humble entourage. Chacun d’eux possède son propre répertoire de gestes qui le distingue des autres. Ils poursuivent un grand rêve : voyager à Paris et revenir à Brazzaville en tant qu’ambassadeurs de l’élégance. At the beginning of the XXth century when the French arrived in Congo, the myth of the Parisian elegance was born among the youth of the Bakongo ethnic group, who were working for the colonizers. At that time, the white man was considered superior, someone showing better manners and elegance. In 1922, Grenard André Matsoua was the first Congolese ever to come back from Paris dressed as a genuine French. His arrival caused indescribable commotion and admiration among his fellow countrymen; he became known as the first Grand Sapeur. Having the respect and admiration of his community, today’s Sapeurs consider themselves artists. They add a touch of glamour to their humble environment through their refined manners and impeccable dressing styles. Each of them is unique showing a particular repertoire of gestures. They all share the same dream: To go to Paris and return to Brazzaville as an aristocrat of supreme elegance.
The sapeur Lamame walks in the snow in a housing projects area where he lives with his family. At the age of 70 his dream has come true: he has made it to Paris and he will be remembered as a Parisian by his compatriots.
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The famous sapeur KVV Mouzieto talking on the phone with his brother back in Brazzaville in the living room of the subsidised rental apartment where he lives with his family. He has a very good reputation in the Congo because of his style, always colourful and original, and his strong character. A photo of him is on the wall.
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Pictures of KVV Mouzieto, one of the most famous sapeurs of Brazzaville. Like all sapeurs, he keeps photos as irrefutable proof of his sapeur career. At the moment, he lives in a subsidised apartment with his family on the outskirts of Paris.
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KVV Mouzieto, un sapeur famoso, trabaja para la compañia de trenes de Paris. Cada noche repara los grafittis pintados en el interior de los vagones. En el Congo es considerado una estrella por su estilo al vestir, siempre colorido y original, y su caracter. ------ KVV Mouzieto, a famous sapeur, works for the Parisian train company. He repairs every night all the grafittis painted inside the train wagons. He is considered a kind of star in Congo due to his character and his way of dressing, always colorful and original.
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The sapeur Lamame looks at the snowy landscape through the window of the train on his way to Paris. It is the first time in his life he's seen snow. At the age of 70 he has finally fufilled his dream to see Paris. Thus, he will always be remembered as a grand sapeur, as a Parisian.
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KVV Mouzieto, uno de los sapeurs más famosos, juega en el salón de su casa con una consola. Vive con su familia en Paris desde hace 16 años y visita Brazzaville con regularidad. Las fotos son de sus hijos, todos ellos nacidos en Paris, y de Grenard André Matsoua, líder congolés que luchó por la igualdad de blancos y negros desde los años 20 y que hoy es uno de los profetas de una religión tradicional local - Matsouanismo, cuya fe profesa KVV. ------ KVV Mouzieto, one of the most famous sapeurs, plays in the living room of his appartment with a Play Station. He lives in Paris since 16 years and visits Brazzaville regularly. Pictures are from his children, all born in Paris and from Grenard André Matsoua, a Congolese leader who struggle for the equality of white and black since the twenties and who is nowadays one of the prophets of a traditional religion ? the matsouanism-. KVV states he is a matsouanist. KVV Mouzieto, uno de los sapeurs más famosos, juega en el salón de su casa con una consola. Vive con su familia en Paris desde hace 16 años y visita Brazzaville con regularidad. Las fotos son de sus hijos, todos ellos nacidos en Paris, y de Grenard André Matsoua, líder congolés que luchó por la igualdad de blancos y negros desde los años 20 y que hoy es uno de los profetas de una religión tradicional local - Matsouanismo, cuya fe profesa KVV.
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Ben Mukasha, el sapelogo, se pasea por el barrio del Chateau Rouge. Considera que su imagen debe ser acorde con las teorías de la Sapeologie para poder hablar de ello. ------ Ben Mukasha, the sapelogue, walks down the Chateau Rouge neighborhood. His image has to agree with the Sapeologie theories if he wants to be taken seriously when speaking about it.
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Chez Tatti café, in the Chateau Rouge neighboorhood, is a popular meeting place among the Congolese community of Paris.
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Ben Mukasha, the manager of a bar restaurant called La Sapelogie, discusses the meaning of the Congolese Sape with a client . In order to be make his character more glamorous he has put an imported beer in an ice bucket to simulate champagne.
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Bar restaurante congolés en el barrio Chateau D?Eau de Paris. Este sótano es subarrendado por una mujer congolesa mientras que en la planta baja funciona otro bar restaurante con otro público y otros productos. Se trata de una práctica habitual entre los africanos para optimizar el espacio y reducir los costes de alquiler. ------ Bar restaurant in the Chateau D?Eau neighborhood of Paris. This basement is subrented by a Congolese woman whereas in the ground floor there is another bar restaurant with different public and products. This is a common practice among Africans in order to optimize the space and also to reduce renting costs.
MEH0066715 © Héctor Mediavilla
KVV Mouzieto, one of the most famous sapeurs of Brazzaville, speaks with his Congolese family on a public telephone. He is on his way to a train station garage where he works every night cleaning the graffiti off the wagons.
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KVV Mouzieto, uno de los sapeurs más famosos, sale de la casa de un compatriota tras arreglar unos asuntos. KVV solo se viste elegantemente cuando es invitado a un gran acontecimiento. Así mantiene su prestigio. ------ KVV Mouzieto, one of the most famous sapeurs, leaves the appartment of a countryman. KVV dresses elegantly only when he is invited to an important event. Thus he keeps his prestige.
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The sapeur Willy Mamona stands in the living room of his rented flat on the outskirts of Paris with his friend, Cissy Kitoko, and her son.
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Yvon Poangari, un sapeur que vive en Paris hace 12 años, espera el próximo metro en el centro de Paris. Todavía no ha regresado a Congo porque no ha conseguido el éxito con el que soñaba. El día que su posición económica sea lo suficientemente buena volverá a Brazzaville como un triunfador. ------ Yvon Poangari, a sapeur who lives in Paris since 12 years, waits for the next subway train in the centre of Paris. He has never returned to Congo because he has not succeed. The day his economic position is good enough he will return to Brazzaville as a winner.
MEH0066705 © Héctor Mediavilla
The sapeurs known as Maguy Kombo "the quiet force", Moulembo "the mountain" and Ben Mukasha " the sapelogue", have a beer while discussing different aspects of Sapelogie theory at Ben Mukasha's bar-restaurtant in the Château Rouge neighborhood.
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Congolese wedding party in the municipal gymnasium of Trappes, on the outskirts of Paris.
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Dos jóvenes congolesas animan con sus danzas la fiesta del enlace matrimonial entre Aurélie Nzinbakany and Renaud Asselind de Beauville en las afueras de Brazzaville. ------ Two young Congolese cheerleaders danceduring the wedding party of Aurélie Nzinbakany and Renaud Asselind de Beauville in the outskirts of Paris.
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Criss Oscar checks in the bathroom mirror that he's looking perfect, during the wedding party of Aurélie Nzinbakany and Renaud Asselind in Beauville, on the outskirts of Paris.
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Sapeurs dancing at a Congolese wedding party in the municipal gymnasium of Trappes.
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The sapeur Michel Maloungou is considered a winner in his country. He married a white woman, works for the city council and has lived in Paris for 18 years. He has never returned to the Congo because of the instable political situation.
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Portrait of Ben Mukasha, the sapelogue, at the entrance of his bar restaurant La Sapelogie, in the Chateau Rouge neighborhood of Paris. He has invented this concept which according to him completes the general idea of the Congolese Sape.
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